1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors and, in particular, to connectors for electrically coupling electrical devices and/or communication equipment to a computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Computers are widely used to perform a variety of different tasks and functions, and computers are frequently connected to other computers via communication systems and computer networks to allow information to be easily obtained and transmitted. In addition, portable computers are becoming more widely used because of their small size and easy portability. For example, portable computers are often used in the office and from airplanes, automobiles, hotels, home offices, etc. Therefore, there is a demand for reliable devices that allow portable computers to be connected to various computer systems and communication networks. Accordingly, a variety of different types of known electrical couplers have been developed to connect computers to various communication systems and computer networks. In general, these electrical couplers include a plug that is inserted into a corresponding jack. The jack typically includes an aperture or socket and an electrical connection is established when the plug is inserted into the jack.
Known electrical couplers are frequently designed for use with cards made according to specifications set forth by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). These cards made in accordance with the PCMCIA specifications, often referred to as PC cards, provide compatibility between different types of computers and compute r manufacturers. As known, PC cards are typically inserted into corresponding slots or openings in a computer and the cards are electrically connected to the computer by a connector. Additionally, PC cards can be designed to perform various functions and a circuit board located within each card provides the necessary circuitry to perform the intended function.
Conventional PC cards have a thin, elongated rectangular body that is inserted into a corresponding slot in the computer. In particular, PC cards have a width of 54.0 mm, a length of 85.6 mm and a height that is dependant upon the type of card. For example, a Type I PC card has a height of 3.3 mm, a Type II PC card has a height of 5.0 mm and a Type III PC card has a height of 10.5 mm. Because PC cards only differ in height, a thinner card can be used in a thicker slot, but a thicker card cannot be used in a thinner slot. Additionally, PC cards have a 68-pin connector located at one end of the body and the connector is configured to be electrically coupled to the computer. The other end of the PC card typically includes an I/O connector configured to be coupled to communication system.
PC cards are frequently used because they allow a user to quickly and easily link a computer to a telephone system. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional adaptor assembly 10 is used to connect a telephone line 12 to a portable computer 14. The adaptor assembly 10 includes an electrical connector plug 16 that is inserted into an I/O connector of a PC card 20 and a line 22 connects an external module 24 to the connector plug 16. The external module 24 includes a housing 26 with an aperture 28 configured to receive an RJ-11 telephone jack 30 connected to an end of the telephone line 12. Disposed within the PC card 20 is a printed circuit board (PCB) that provides the necessary circuitry to perform the intended function of the PC card.
Disadvantageously, the conventional adaptor assembly 10 is awkward to use because it requires the use of both the PC card 20 and the separate external structure including the plug 16, line 22 and module 24 (frequently referred to as the "dongle"). If the dongle is lost or damaged, connection to the telephone line cannot be established. Thus, a new dongle must be purchased or the damaged dongle repaired, and this results in unnecessary delay and expense. Additionally, because the dongle is separate from the PC card, it requires additional space and it is susceptible to being dislodged from the computer. Further, the dongle is aesthetically displeasing and it is frequently damaged or broken because it extends outwardly from the body of the computer.
As shown in FIG. 2, another conventional device used for connecting a PC card to a telephone line is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,404 issued to Aldous, et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The Aldous patent, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a PC card 32 with a slidable thin plate 34. The plate 34 includes an aperture 36 adapted to receive a telephone jack and a plurality of contact pins 38. Each contact pin 38 has a first end that is freely exposed within the aperture and an opposed second end that is mounted to the thin plate 34. A first end of a flexible wire ribbon is connected to the second end of the contact pins and an opposing second end of the wire ribbon is connected to a circuit board within the PC card 32. The thin plate 34 is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, as shown in accompanying FIG. 2, the aperture 36 is exposed such that an RJ-11 telephone plug can be inserted. The plug (not shown) pushes against the contact pins 38 to establish electrical communication between the plug, contact pins, flexible wire ribbon and the PC card. When not in use, the plug is removed from the aperture 36 and thin plate 34 is retracted within the PC card 32.
As shown in FIG. 3, another known device used to attach a standard telephone jack to a PC card is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/271,620, filed Mar. 17, 1999, listing Oliphant, et al. as inventors and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The Oliphant application, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a PC card 40 with a physical/electrical modular connector 42 that is configured to physically and electrically couple an RJ-11 telephone jack to the PC card. More specifically, the physical/electrical modular connector 42 includes a jack 44 that is mounted to a slide plate 46 which is movable between an extended position wherein an aperture 48 is configured to receive a telephone plug and a retracted position wherein the slide plate is positioned within the PC card 40. The jack 44 includes a number of contact pins 50 that are configured to be electrically connected to a telephone plug inserted into the aperture 48. The contact pins 50 are electrically connected to the PC card 40 when the jack is in the extended position and the pins are insulated from electrical connection with the PC card when the jack is in the retracted position.
A conventional device used to connect a PC card to a telephone line is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,811 issued to Homic. The Homic patent discloses an RJ-11 telephone socket that is physically and electrically connected to a PCMCIA modem card which is recessed a predetermined distance "X" within the computer housing. The telephone socket and the modem card are mechanically and physically connected by a connector block. The connector block includes a body portion that is mounted flush to the exterior surface of the computer enclosure and an end cap which protrudes downwardly and outwardly from the body portion. The end cap has a thickness "X" that is the same as the predetermined distance "X" that the modem card is recessed into the computer so that the exterior surface of the modem card is flush with the outer surface of the computer housing. Disadvantageously, this device requires that the modem card be recessed a predetermined distance "X" inside the body of the computer and it allows only a single RJ-11 telephone jack to be connected to the modem card. Thus, the modem assembly cannot be coupled to other type of connectors or communication systems. Additionally, because the RJ-11 telephone socket is integrally connected to the modem card and both the modem card and the connector block are recessed inside the computer, neither the modem card nor socket is readily repairable or replaceable.
Another conventional device used to connect a PC card to a telephone line is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,607 issued to Dittmer. The Dittmer patent discloses a structure this is inserted into dual PCMCIA card slots. The structure includes an attachment section that is removably connected to the PCMCIA card and a support body that is secured to the attachment section. The attachment section has a shape similar to the PCMCIA card and this section is positioned in a parallel, facing and closely adjacent relationship with the PCMCIA card. The Dittmer patent, however, only discloses a socket for a standard RJ-11 telephone plug and a socket for a standard cellular telephone connector plug in the attachment section. Thus, the usefulness of the device is limited because it can only be connected to a conventional telephone system or a cellular telephone system by standard plugs.
As shown in FIG. 4, yet another conventional device used to connect a PC card to a telephone line is an adaptable communication connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,332 issued to Glad. The communication connector disclosed in the Glad patent includes a communications card with the dimensions and configuration of a Type III PC card. The communication card 52 includes two sockets 54 and 56 with T-shaped cutout sections 58 and 60, respectively, located in the upper surface of the card 52. These cutout sections 58 and 60 are sized and configured to engage the biased clip 62 and ridge 64 of a conventional RJ-type communication plug 66. Disadvantageously, the cutout sections 58 and 60 are sized and configured to receive only conventional RJ-type communication plugs and the card cannot be reconfigured to be coupled to other types of communication systems.